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APPLYING PRESSURE — James 'Pop' Weathers (1) tries to prevent an Aggie player from scoring during Monday night's season opener. Weathers was one of three Lions to make their debut in their 78-46 loss. Submitted Photo
COLLEGE STATION — The No. 15/19 ranked Texas A&M Aggies pulled away from the Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team on Monday night for a 78-46 win at Reed Arena in the season opener for both teams.
The Aggies, who were the runner up in the SEC last season, started this season being ranked No. 15 in the Associated Press (AP) poll and No. 19 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Lions have lost the season opener for the second straight season.
This was the first regular season meeting for the two teams since the 1979 season.
A&M-Commerce scored the first points of the game as Alonzo Dodd (St. Paul, Minn.) drilled a jumper in the paint, but the Aggies scored the next seven and did not trail again in the game.
Trailing 20-9 at the 12:13 mark of the first half, the Lions went on a 11-1 run to come within one, but the Aggies responded by outscoring the Lions 26-7 in the rest of the first half and the lowest lead for the Aggies in the second half was 13 points, as Jerome Brewer Jr. (Camden, N.J.) knocked down two free throws to start the second half.
The Lions were led in scoring by Brewer Jr. with 13, who also had teambest five rebounds. Kalen Williams (Augusta, Ga.) had 10 points, while Dodd had three assists for the Lions.
Monday night marked the first collegiate start in his career debut for KC Ugwuakazi (Boston, Mass.), while Evan Phelps (Duncanville) came off the bench for his collegiate debut.
Newcomers Zondrick Garrett (Oxford, Ala.), Kwo Agwa (Calgary, Canada), James 'Pop' Weathers (Baton Rouge, La.), VJ Reeves Jr. (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) made their Lion debuts off the bench The Lions then headed across the Lone Star state to Lubbock, facing Texas Tech on Wednesday.